Moscow Domodedovo Airport (DME) and technology provider SITA said more than 1.2 million passengers took advantage of the new technology to speed their way through the airport during the 2018 World Cup.

In total, since the beginning of the year, 3.3 million people have used SITA’s Airport Self-Service Gates at Domodedovo.

[Domodedovo Airport automated gate] Gennady Zalutsky, CEO, Domodedovo Integration, said: "SITA’s technology showed its effectiveness during the peaks of traffic when soccer fans from all over the world flew through Domodedovo for the matches. We are confident that this landmark project, which makes use of modern technologies, will raise the quality of passenger services at DME to a new level.”

Domodedovo was the first airport in Russia to introduce SITA’s sophisticated passenger flow management which uses smart validation and the automated gates for secure access control. They allow passengers to independently pass the security controls at the entrance to the departure zone, or to board the aircraft, by simply scanning their mobile or paper boarding pass.

In total, more than 150 automated gates will be installed in Terminals 1 and 2 in Domodedovo. SITA studies show that the use of its self-service gates can cut boarding times by as much as 50% reducing the risk of flight delays and improving passenger service. SITA’s automated gates and Airport iValidatetechnology are in use at leading airports across the world.

Dmitry Krasnov, SITA VP Russia and CIS, said: “We have helped many countries manage major events by introducing technology that automates the flow of passenger through major airports. From the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles to the World Cup in Brazil in 2014 and this year in Russia. While these events are often the catalysts for introducing new technology, we continue to see the benefit of these investments well after the final whistle has gone. This is particularly the case in fast growth markets such Brazil and Russia where the number of passengers continues to grow rapidly.”

The introduction of SITA’s automated gates and Airport iValidate technology for passengers at Domodedovo Airport was a finalist in the Moscow Urban Forum Community Awards. This is an annual award for city communities, independent projects, private initiatives and start-ups that make a significant contribution to the development of Moscow. The introduction of the airport self-service gates was among the best in the "Urban Technologies" nomination.